Community Education

Parents and Teachers as Allies

This nationally recognized program is designed as a school in-service for mainstream educators and school professionals. Its goal is to raise awareness about early identification and intervention for children’s mental health concerns.  The 2.5 hour program presents the lived experience of a panel of individuals ranging from a parent to an educator to a person living with mental health challenges/someone in recovery.

NAMI Connecticut received a $10,000 grant from the Catalyst Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain for Parents and Teachers as Allies. Read the full Press Release.

For more information or to schedule a presentation of Parents and Teachers as Allies, please contact Paloma Bayona, NAMI Connecticut Program Director, at (860) 882-0236, x22, or via email at: pbayona@namict.org

NAMI Ending the Silence

NAMI Ending the Silence (ETS) is a prevention and early intervention program that engages youth in a discussion about mental health.

This 50-minute in-school presentation is designed for middle and high school age youth. Students learn early warning signs of mental illness, as well as receive resources and tools to help themselves, friends or family members who may be experiencing symptoms of mental illness.  They may also realize that they’re not alone.  NAMI offers this program to any schools, either small groups or larger groups.  This program is offered to schools and students at no cost.

Video: Ending the Silence Snapshot

For more information or to schedule a presentation of ETS, please contact Paloma Bayona, NAMI Connecticut Program Director, at (860) 882-0236, x22, or via email at: pbayona@namict.org

Provider Education

NAMI Provider Education is a staff development program for healthcare professionals who work directly with people experiencing mental illness. This program offers you the tools you need to combine the medical and recovery models of care so you can better serve your clients. It’s designed to help enhance the relationships you have with the person in your care, and with their family.

For information on this program please contact Paul Brainerd, NAMI Connecticut Provider Education Coordinator, at: (860) 882-0236, or via email at: pbrainerd@namict.org

Mental Health First Aid

NAMI Connecticut has trained Mental Health First Aid instructors who are available to conduct this course.  The course provides a basic overview of mental health issues and diagnoses, as well as strategies that can be used to help someone who may be in crisis.  This is an eight hour course and there is a charge to take the course.

For more information please call the NAMI Connecticut office at: 1-800-215-3021.

In Our Own Voice (IOOV)

Studies have shown that contact between people who have mental illness and the general public is the most effective way to reduce the discrimination and stigma associated with mental illness (Corrigan & Penn, 1999). To reduce stigma and discrimination NAMI Connecticut offers In Our Own Voice, a FREE community program featuring personal testimonials from individuals living with mental health challenges, who share their journey of recovery.

The program is a prime vehicle for NAMI Connecticut’s outreach and education to lessen the stigma associated with mental illness. Presenters receive a small stipend for each presentation they deliver. Presentations usually run an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes in length. An article published in the peer-review Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal concludes that: “There is strong evidence that NAMI’s In Our Own Voice consumer education presentation is effective as a strategy for increasing audience knowledge about mental illness and improving attitudes towards those who experience psychiatric disorders.” (Wood & Wahl, 2006)

Anyone interested in finding out more about these programs or how to become a support group facilitator or IOOV presenter can contact the Recovery Programs Coordinator at the NAMI Connecticut office: 800-215-3021